Radiolabeled proteins such as antibodies are used in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures. The increased specificity of monoclonal antibodies, compared to polyclonal antibodies, makes them even more useful for delivering diagnostic or therapeutic agents such as radioisotopes to desired target sites in vivo. A monoclonal antibody specific for a desired type of target cells such as tumor cells may be used to deliver a therapeutic radionuclide attached to the antibody to the target cells, thereby causing the eradication of the undesired target cells. Alternatively a monoclonal antibody having a diagnostically effective radionuclide attached thereto may be administered, whereupon the radiolabeled antibody localizes on the target tissue. Conventional diagnostic procedures then may be used to detect the presence of the target sites within the patient.
One method for radiolabeling proteins such as antibodies involves attachment of radionuclide metal chelates to the proteins. Chelates having a variety of chemical structures have been developed for this purpose. The usefulness of such chelates is dependent upon a number of factors such as the stability of radionuclide binding within the chelate and the reactivity of the chelating compound with the desired protein. The efficiency of radiolabeling of the chelating compound to produce the desired radionuclide metal chelate also is important. Another consideration is the biodistribution of the radiolabeled protein and catabolites thereof in vivo. Localization in non-target tissues limits the total dosage of a therapeutic radiolabeled protein that can be administered, thereby decreasing the therapeutic effect. In diagnostic procedures, localization in non-target tissues may cause undesirable background and/or result in misdiagnosis. The need remains for improvement in these and other characteristics of radionuclide metal chelate compounds used for radiolabeling of proteins such as antibodies.